Multiple clothesline and supporting means therefor



L. R. FORDS Aug. 18, 1942.

MULTIPLE CLOTHESLINE AND SUPPORTING MEANS THEREFOR F'i'Ied Feb. 1'7, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I girl 0014M: L .R. F0 r55,

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airy/mu L. R. FORDS Aug. 13, 1942.

Filed Feb. 17, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w Rn N -U L u w m H v Wm H .HHH-H. .HHH:iLi:

Patented Aug. 18, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE CLOTHESLINE AND SUPPORTING MEANS THEREFOR 2 Claims.

My invention relates to clothes dryers embodying a multiple of clothes lines and supporting means therefor, and one object of the invention is the provision of apparatus of this character having a multiple of individual clothes lines arranged in parallelism to obtain maximum capacity so that a large family wash may be hung out for drying in a relatively small yard.

Another object is to provide apparatus of this character which can be quickly set up for use, or taken down and folded into compact form for storage or transportation.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character with means whereby the slack in the clothes lines can be readily taken up and which assists in reliably supporting the apparatus and safeguarding it from being blown down by the wind.

Another object is to provide apparatus of this character which is free from hooks and other projections likely to tear or otherwise damage the wash; and which is simple, efiicient, sturdy and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects will hereinafter appear and in order that the invention may be fully understood reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the apparatus erected for use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail partly in section of one of a pair of transverse members.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of one of the standards.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section of a spherical fastening element and part of a clothes line attached thereto.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the parts shown by Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 shows one end partly in section of a modified form of the apparatus set up in full lines and folded in dotted lines.

Fig. 7 shows the end of the modified form folded.

Referring more particularly to the form disclosed by Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, it will be seen that the apparatus has two ends which are substantially alike, so one end only will be described in detail. As shown, each end of the apparatus comprises a transverse member 2 having a plurality of slots 4 which are equally spaced and are preferably of the key-hole type as shown. The slots 4 are arranged in the lower portion of the transverse member 2 with a view to preventing the entrance of rain therein. The transverse member 2 has a pair of depending sockets 6 located near the ends thereof to receive the upper ends of a pair of standards 8, which, like the transverse member 2, are preferably of tubular cross section. However, the transverse member 2 and the standards 3 may be of any other suitable cross section.

The upper ends of the standards 8 are adapted to fit snugly but removably within the respective sockets 6 and each standard is provided at its lower end with a foot IE3 preferably in the form of a fiat plate. The feet Ill are adapted to prevent the standards from sinking into soft ground when the apparatus is set up for use, but if the ground is hard the feet may be dispensed with, or if desired the lower portions of the standards may be permanently embedded in concrete to hold them in upright position.

Any desired number of individual clothes lines l2, four of which are shown in the present instance, may be employed. Each clothes line is provided at both ends with spherical-like fastening elements I4, each having a concavity l6 and a tubular extension I8 the bore of which communicates with the concavity. The clothes line is attached to each spherical member by threading it through the tubular extension [8 and tying the end of the line into a knot 19 that will fit into the concavity I6, but is large enough to prevent it from passing through the bore of the tubular extension [8.

When assembling the clothes lines with the transverse members 2, the spherical fastening elements M are passed through the enlarged ends 20 of the slots 4 and allowed to move downward in back of the narrow portions 22 through which only the tubular extensions l8 may project to protect the adjacent portions of the clothes lines from rubbing against the edges of the slots 4 and thereby becoming cut or worn through. The transverse members 2 may then be placed in position upon the respective pairs of standards 8 which are secured in upright position by the clothes lines [2 and stays 24 and 26, respectively. The stays 24 and 26 are attached at their lower ends to stakes 28 that are driven into the ground a suitable distance to the rear of each pair of standards. The upper ends of the stays 24 and '26 may be provided with spherical fastening elements [4 for placement through respective slots similar to and adjacent to the endmost slots 4. The respective stays 26 are provided with turnbuckles 30 which are adjusted to take up the slack in the stays and the clothes lines, so that the apparatus will be reliably held in upright position and safeguarded against being blown down by the wind.

The stays 24 and 26 may comprise any suitable material, such for instance, as lengths of wire, rope, or chain.

Although the spherical fastening elements H! are convenient they may be dispensed with by placing the knots I9 of the clothes lines l2 through the slotted portions 4 of the transverse members 2.

In the modified form shown by Figs. 6 and 7 the sockets 6a are so placed on the transverse member 2a that when the standards 8a are folded they will lie side by side against the transverse member 2a. As shown by Fig. 6 the upper ends of the standards 8a are mounted on pivots 32 extending transversely through the sockets Ba which have respective slots 34 to permit the standards to fold towards each other.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, it is apparent that I have provided an apparatus which is free from hooks and other projections upon which the clothes are likely to be torn, and while I have shown two forms of the apparatus I reserve all rights to such other forms as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A clothes dryer comprising two transverse tubular members spaced apart and each having a multiple of spaced keyhole slots, a-plurality of individual clothes lines extending from one transverse member to the other and having a knot at each end, spherical fastening elements having concavities to receive the knots and tubular extensions through which the ends of the respective lines extend, said spherical fastening elements being adapted to be passed through the enlarged ends of the slots and behind the narrow portions thereof with their tubular extensions projecting through said narrow portions, and means for supporting the transverse members.

2. A clothes dryer comprising two horizontally disposed tubular members having sockets adjacent to their ends and keyhole slots spaced between said sockets, the longitudinal axis of said keyhole slots being disposed transversely to the longitudinal axis of the respective tubular members, standards having their upper ends fitted into the respective sockets, a plurality of individual clothes lines extending from one tubular member to the other and having a knot at each end, and spherical fastening elements having concavities to receive the knots and tubular extensions through which the respective clothes lines extend, said spherical fastening elements being adapted to be passed through the enlarged ends of the slots and behind the narrow portions thereof with their tubular extensions projecting through said narrow portions.

LOUIE R. FORDS. 

